Kentucky woman found dead, burned in South Carolina ditch

CHESTER, S.C. (AP) — Authorities have identified a burned body found in a South Carolina ditch as that of a Kentucky woman.

News outlets report the sheriff’s office of Chester County, South Carolina, identified the woman as 31-year-old Melissa I. Whitis, of Frankfort. Authorities didn’t immediately release her cause of death.

A sheriff’s office statement released last week says Whitis’ body was found on Sept. 20, about 100 miles from where she’s believed to have been in North Carolina three days earlier.

WBTV-TV reports it took about 20 days for authorities to identify Whitis. Sheriff Max Dorsey says they had to track down the manufacturer of her medical implant and possible hospitals where it was implanted. He says authorities want information from anyone who saw or contacted Whitis between Sept. 17 and Sept 20.